WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden's nomination of Nicholas Burns as the new Ambassador to China has been ratified by the US Senate. Burns, 65, a career diplomat who has served under both Democratic and Republican presidents, was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 75-18.
Burns is currently a professor at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government's Practice of Diplomacy and International Relations. He is also Senior Counselor of the Cohen Group and Executive Director of the Aspen Strategy Group and Security Forum.
Burns served as Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, Ambassador to NATO and Greece, State Department spokesman, and member of the National Security Council staff for Soviet and Russian Affairs during his time at the State Department.
Burns first visited China in 1988 with Secretary of State George Shultz and again in 1989 with President George H.W. Bush. As a spokesman, he travelled to China multiple times with Secretaries Warren Christopher and Madeleine Albright. Burns graduated from Boston College with a B.A. and the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies with an M.A.
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